Acting for a sustainable future: A video theater experience
The dramatization "Voices" offers a unique perspective on the potential for sustainable scenarios by exploring two distinct realities in the Brazilian semi-arid region.
The play delves into the environmental, social, and economic impacts of various production methods, reinterpreting these complexities through the lens of theater. The play represents the challenges in the established trajectories towards sustainability and calls for a reevaluation of policies to create a more inclusive future that aligns with economic needs and emerging demands. The process involves a diverse variety of voices, from small producers and citizens to farmers, consumers, workers, large producers, entrepreneurs, and government bodies. The ultimate goal is to promote sustainability that respects natural limits and is accessible to everyone.
The play's script was based on the outcomes of the creative process from three local workshops: Campina Grande-PB, Barreiras-BA, and Petrolina-PE, and their surrounding regions, all located in the São Francisco River basin. The results were obtained from the 3H-CLD workshops, a method that combines the 3H diagram, systems thinking tools, and creative processes. The first step of this methodology involves participants discussing their aspirations for a sustainable and fair future for their region, considering all dimensions of sustainability: economic, social, environmental, and governance (Dutra de Aguiar et al., to be published). The aspirations are synthesized into a creative product (letter, drawing, theatrical play, etc.) that aims to appropriate and incorporate the envisioned future, complementing the synthesis of what was discussed (Dutra de Aguiar et al., 2023).
The theater group was led by Fernanda Luz, who participated in the last local dialogue in Petrolina-PE. Fernanda, together with the project coordinator of XPaths, Ana Paula Dutra de Aguiar, and PhD candidate Taís Sonetti-González, developed the script. The play had rehearsals every week, and although the researchers were based in Europe, they participated online in many of them. The resulting performance was filmed and presented at a virtual meeting in November 2022, with feedback incorporated into a revised version for a live presentation in May 2023. The approach adapts to the online environment and incorporates concepts from Forum Theatre. In Forum Theatre, actors depict scenes, inviting the audience to propose and embody resolutions. This method, primarily attributed to Brazilian director Augusto Boal in 1985, draws on Paulo Freire's educational theories, aiming to catalyze social and political transformation. Boal's innovation allows the audience, or "spect-actors," to intervene and reshape the narrative, fostering a participatory exploration of real-world issues in a secure space conducive to action, dialogue, and reflection. Notably, our project includes a participant from the dialogues as one of the actors, enriching the group's dynamics and insight.
Watch the play "VOICES" here (in Portuguese, with English subtitles).